My little four leaf Clover
by Ava1608
Summary: Cato and Clove, the strongest from district 2, thrown in to the arena. What would happen if they admitted they loved each other? Would they have won? Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1Background

The training Centre. A place for the proudest parents to send their children. Districts 1, 2 and 4 all had them; district 2's was the biggest. Each year the students who" shined the brightest", you could say, would be forced to volunteer for the hunger games. Clove, being only 15, would most definitely be up to volunteer this year, as this year's trainees were weak in the girls department. She was a lot better than the strongest of the 18 year olds, because as her mother once told her "she never misses."

What her parents didn't know, what nobody knew, was that Clove pictured her parents as the targets when she threw knives. She hates them. Shoving her into the training center because they wanted to bring pride to the family, money, and the right to brag to everyone they knew. At first, she was scared, and then she picked up a knife when she was only 7, and nearly killed that 13 year old bitch Aqua. She provoked me, Clove thought with a smirk on her face. She had hit her right in the arch of her back. Usually she would get thrown out, but she was naturally gifted and they knew it. She could win.

At the age of 14, they get to train with the boys. At first it was awkward, and most of them were weak and couldn't dodge. But then she met Cato. He was strong, could crush people, and had the will to kill. He would definitely be up this year as well, and after a year of training together, she wasn't afraid of him. She knew his strengths and weaknesses, but he also knew hers. This would be interesting, she thought. She didn't hate Cato, he had helped her after all, but he wasn't particularly likeable either.

It was 9pm, closing time at the training center, and as Clove packed up her things and went to leave, she heard someone calling her. "Hey Clove, wait" it was Cato. She growled under her breath and turned to face him. "What Cato? I'm going home." He smirked, and came to a stop in front her, towering over her. "Just wanted to say, looks like it's going to be us this year eh, everyone else is weak as shit. District 2 is definitely slacking." He was still doing that, Clove had to admit, stunning side smirk. It was also annoying though, because he over used it to project his cocky attitude. "Yeah, well, we're going to team up right? Then I'm going to slit your throat when it's down to the two of us" Now she was smirking, looking at Cato's slightly shocked face. "Well if that's how you're going to play it, my little four leaf Clover, bring it on." And he walked off before she think of a witty reply, she walked out the doors just as Enobaria was locking up, the previous victors would forever have to keep watch and then select the two tributes each year. They would have to work with them after all. "Don't get too close little one, you pair are the best we have this year." She was smiling, a fake, mocking smile. She was such a bitch. Clove flipped her off and then ran home, to her small run-down home on the end of the district. Her parents were arguing again.

Clove was used to it, and she always stuck up for her father, because when on his good side he brought her knives and taught her combat moves. But that's all you get with him, no cuddles, no stories before you slept. They only had her because they needed a new house. Her mother looked down on her, tutted at every word she spoke. She had a little brother, Carlo, who she loved more than anyone else. He was 6, meaning he would be working at the training Centre next year. She didn't want him to, he was strong, would probably get picked to be put in the games when he was old enough. If Clove didn't win, he was their parent's second hope, but he wasn't liked any more than she was. Constantly seeking approval. He understood it all already; you grew up fast in district 2. If she was lucky, he may become a peacekeeper. But that was unlikely for a scabby family like ours.


	2. Chapter 2

Clove slumped to bed, she was exhausted. She fell asleep and she started dreaming of her and Cato running from something, dogs?

She awoke to the sounds of screaming in the next bedroom, it was 3 am. Carlo. She grabbed her knife and ran to her little brother's room, he was in hysterics, he had his hands over his ears and tears were streaming down his face. She ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him, gently placing her knife on his bedside table and started rocking him. "Did you have a nightmare?" Clove asked him, continuing the rocking motion as this often soothed him. "You volunteered" He blurted out. "You went and a big mean guy killed you with a rock, he did Clove and then Cato held you, he did I swear." Clove was gob smacked.

Carlo often had visions in his dreams, only Clove knew about them, she had sworn he keep it secret to protect him. They would throw him in a freak house, or worse. After the first day of training with the boys, she came home feeling drained, the boys were pathetic. Her brother came up to her and simply said "Cato" and then exactly 7 days later she met him, they brought the best out in each other. He saw other stuff to, but not much.

She hadn't told him she was volunteering. Maybe it was obvious? And maybe she would be killed to, you never know. The thing that least made sense was Cato holding her, why would he do that? She was thinking this through and then Carlo chimed in "He seemed to love you a lot. Do you like him?" Clove shushed him, grabbed her knife and went to her room. Maybe, just maybe. She did.

She crawled out her bed at 6 am, 6 days till the reaping. The weather was glorious, the sun shining right through her broken window. She dreamt of Cato last night, the night he nicknamed her Clover, it's like she was re-living it. There was a bowl full of 3 leaf clovers, one for the boys and one for the girls. Each bowl had one four leaf clover in it. Whoever picked it got to test their skills in a new weaponry compartment, crossbows. They ended up scrapping it, to much of an easy kill she guessed. But she, and of course, Cato picked the four leaf clovers. They had three hours, and it was pretty boring, no adrenaline rush like when she threw knives.

Today she tied her dark hair in a simple braid straight down her back, and put on her usual kit, dark leggings, a simple black strappy top, and her black boots that reached her knees, it was better to move in thin clothes, and better to kick in her boots.

When she reached the training center 15 minutes early, she saw Cato slouched against the wall buy the doors. "We need to talk." He said, his voice was stern. She was always early; she liked to get her stuff ready before everyone else. Looks like today would be an acceptation. She followed him round the corner and down a small alley right next to it. He stopped when he reached the forest on the other side. "I don't want you to volunteer this year, please."

"WHAT? Well this is perfectly different from yesterday, isn't it? Am I too weak now? Or are you bored of me? I bet you want that pretty 17 year old to volunteer don't you." The look on his fain showed confusion and something else, pain. His voice sounded raspy when he replied "Clove, please. For m-Carlo, you can't" He suddenly got louder "YOU CANT. I CANT HAVE YOU IN THERE WITH ME, ALRIGHT?" he was angry. More so at himself it seemed, but she wasn't sure. She had her comeback. "Fine, I volunteer you don't, alright. I am perfectly capable of surviving on my own in there, just like you, I am sick of you constantly looking down on me as a slab of meat, I'm sorry I'm not pret- Cato cut of her words, by kissing her. This was no ordinary kiss, it sent sparks flying, his hand was placed on her face and she leaned into him. It felt, right. Clove had never kissed anyone, Cato probably had and that's why he was guiding her, placing his tongue inside her mouth. Clove felt like she knew what to do, no matter how little experience she had. The kiss was getting more desperate, and a moan escaped Cato's mouth. She had made him do that? His hand left her face and then he wrapped both arms around her waist, pushing her against the wall gently so she leaned on his arms. "Clove" He murmured, pulling away from this kiss. "This can't happen, you know it." Clove sighed. She knew it couldn't, that's what was killing her. Her brother had been right. "Cato, we can't go… not now." Now Cato sighed, it was his last chance, he was sure to be put up. Surely she knew that? "You know we have to Clove, Enobaria is forcing us, no matter how hard we try it's impossible. We're the best they have. I'll look after you, until… then it's fair as fair right?" The arrogant Cato was returning, Clove could see it. "You better put up a fight four leaf Clover" He winked and she stormed off, she had had enough. Why did she kiss him? Why did she like him?


	3. Chapter 3

The week passed in a blur. Nothing stood out for me, just the usual routine. Cato's attempts to talk to me after out kiss and me storming off were ignored. All my feelings for him must be pushed away. For Carlo, my brother. The only person in the world I will love unconditionally. I will come home for him. If I fail, he will have to fight in the games. I can't make him go through that; I will bring the family the wealth and popularity my parents need. I will make myself someone I am not, to come home. To get sponsors, to kill Cato, if I have to.

I stare at myself in the mirror, today is reaping day. Today I say goodbye to Carlo, and become the little bitch I intend to be, and see the faces of the people I will later kill. Well, this should be fun. My mom storms in. "HURRY UP YOU LITTLE COW, YOU HAVE 10 FUCKING MINUTES." She screams, grabbing the brush and throwing it at me. I scowl and pat my hair down. It's long and wavy, a style considered attractive in district 2, I have a light layer of blusher and mascara. You have to have the looks to get sponsors, I'm told. I wear a simple red dress, a deep red, blood red. It fits my figure nicely, and my mother insisted I wore a padded bra so my bust looks bigger than it should. For once in my life I consider myself to look appealing, but what would I know.

I grab my small black flats and we head to the town center, I quickly sign in, the woman winking at me when I say my name. So everyone knows I will volunteer, thanks a lot Enobaria. I catch sight of Cato in the crowd with a smug look on his face, and I remember where we are, I pull a vicious smirk of my own. "Right then, that's everyone. WELCOME! My lovelies." Our escort Trinna Leftson squeals. God, she is SO annoying. We watch the same video as we do every year, about the rebellion. I don't care for it; I don't think anyone does really. "Isn't that just lovely?" Trinna says as she scutters to the huge bowl of girls names, mine being in there three times. It doesn't matter anyway. I was chosen, and everyone knows it.

"Ladies first then" She smiles a sickeningly sweet smile, and I swear she catches my eye. "Reena Meers" A tall, curvy, bronze skinned, blue eyed beauty walks to the stage. She is projecting confidence but I can tell she is terrified. I've never seen her in the training center so her parents must be rich already. Then I remember, Meers. Her brother won a few years back. His name was... What was it? I can't remember. I wondered why she was scared and then I realized. Her brother came out abit… Crazy. He nearly killed their mother, he became blood thirsty. Only district 2 and the Capitol knew this though. Wouldn't want the Capitol's favorites to have a bad reputation.

Then I realized Reena's congratulations for winning the reaping was over. "Any volunteers today?" Reena smiled into the audience. My time was up. Time for the bitch to overtake me. "I volunteer" I shouted. I felt eyes bore into my back as I walked up to the stage, I didn't care. People were clapping, encouraging me. I felt myself slipping away to the applause, smugness was taking over me. A smirk climbed on my face. "What's your name dear?" Trinna asked me softly, like I was her friend. She wishes. "Clove Craymere" I said, rather loudly. The applause grew. I laughed bitterly without meaning to, and Trinna just walked over to the bowl.

"Cato Beirs." Trinna said loudly. I froze. He didn't even have to volunteer. I was thinking maybe he wouldn't volunteer, I wouldn't have to kill him. But I kept up a strong front. I couldn't break down here. I looked at the audience one last time. It's like I was deaf. I couldn't hear what Cato and Trinna were saying, I only thought of how I was going to kill him if it came to it. I couldn't, no that was a lie. I could. He kissed me and made it a joke, so that was it. He was going down. Was it a joke? Probably to him. Maybe. Either way, he was going to die. I was coming home, to Carlo.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update this, I've been busy with school work and stuff. Anyway, thanks for reading this if you are. Here's chapter four. x**

The goodbyes were short and painful. My parents simply said "If you don't come home you're a loser" whilst me and my brother had a long chat about what he must do in future if I don't come home. No one else came to see me but I wasn't surprised.

We arrived on the Capitol train about half an hour later, and it was Grande. But I wasn't too impressed; it's nothing unusual in our district. I sat down on a plush sofa and sighed deeply. I was already exhausted. As much as it pissed me off Cato followed me and sat on an identical sofa in front of me. I looked up at him the same time he looked towards me. I coughed and raised my eyebrow; he would get what that meant.

"I love you." He quickly said his face expressionless. I simply stared at him, taking the words in. "Erm what?" I snorted. He was obviously joking; gosh he's a good liar. "I love you, and I want you. Every minute of every day. I want you with me. That kiss wasn't a joke, not to me anyway." He was almost blushing, and he was rushing the words like I was going to walk away from him. "If this is a joke give it up now, I'm not in the mood. Or is this your tactic to win or something?" I looked out the window next to me, so he couldn't read my expression. "Clove... please" The pain in Cato's voice when he said my name couldn't be denied. Did he really love me? This is SO crazy.

I looked towards him and noticed a single tear drop down his cheek. "I told you not to volunteer… I. I was planning on coming home and providing for us. A family. A home. Us, together, forever. Don't you realize how much I love you Clover?" I probably should have said something, but I couldn't. Because all of a sudden I felt my walls crashing down. The tough act I had been building had just collapsed. I love him. Somehow I could tell he wasn't lying, I knew him more than I knew myself. This was dangerous. Certain one of us would die, Carlo even saw it. Maybe even both of us would. No, Cato won't, he's going to win.

"I love you to Cato. You know I do." I wasn't lying, but I had my reasons for saying it. Protect him then find a clever way to kill myself. It's perfect. I was plotting my potential suicide in my head when I felt Cato's weight on me. He softly put his hands on my cheeks and placed his lips to mine. A thousand fireworks shot off in my head. I was getting that feeling again, need. I was running through my fingers through his hair and kissing him more passionately when Enobaria walked in.

"I knew it… I knew it." I thought she would snicker until I saw a pained look in her face. "Love" was all she said, slightly nodding her head and shutting the door behind her and walking towards us. "We need to talk tactics, Clove. My room in five, third door on the left. Brutus is the opposite door to mine; he's waiting for you Cato." She said, nodding towards Cato as she said it. "Five minutes is plenty of time." She said, with a small side smile on her face. What was with the sudden change of personality? Ugh I would never understand her. Me and Cato has a short conversation about why she's suddenly changed, and neither of us came up with a conclusion, so we just decided to go and see our new mentors.

I knocked on the door, and after I heard her say "Come in" I pushed the door in front of me. Her room was amazing but what really caught my eye was a picture on her bedstead. I remember his face, that man in the picture. He was the male district 2 tribute the same year as Enobaria won. I don't know how I remembered him, there was something special about his eyes that just made him seem memorable, and Enobaria talked about him sometimes. Then I realized. She had loved that man, just like I love Cato now.


End file.
